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Aiming for Strategic Cooperation With Kazakhstan

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran makes efforts to forge "strategic cooperation" with Kazakhstan.
He made the remarks in a meeting with Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov in Astana on Monday.
He cited the campaign against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking as an example of such cooperation.
Zarif also stated Iran's private and public sectors are ready to have closer cooperation with Kazakh companies and institutions.
The Kazakh foreign minister expressed hope that a final agreement would be reached between Iran and the major powers to resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear work and a "new chapter" would open in regional ties and cooperation.
Idrissov called for expansion of relations between the two countries in various areas.
Not at Any Cost
Elsewhere, Zarif said Iran seeks the removal of sanctions, but the cost is very important.
He made the remarks in a speech at a university in Kazakhstan, IRNA reported on Monday.
The removal of sanctions should not come at the cost of ignoring national interests, Zarif stated.
He went on to say that the Iranian people are not "optimistic" about relations with the West due to the historical background, adding that it takes time for Iran and the West to solve problems.
There cannot be good relations with the countries that have imposed sanctions as long as the sanctions are in place, he said.
Elsewhere, he stated that those who support terrorist and extremist groups should be aware that insecurity will not be limited to one country or region.
The senior diplomat added that "violence and insecurity" will spread to other regions.
Zarif also said Iran seeks expansion of relations with all neighboring countries and the countries in the Persian Gulf region.
He went on to say that expansion of ties with neighboring countries is Iran's "main priority" in its foreign policy.
"Confidence-building and cooperation" are "fundamental planks" of Iran's diplomacy with regional countries, Zarif noted.
Commenting on the situation in Yemen, he stated the continuation of the Saudi-led military campaign in the crisis-hit Arab will complicate matters further.
He also expressed hope that Iran-Kazakhstan economic relations would be increased, saying that Iran is an "important player" in the area of economy.
Addressing a gathering of Iranians expatriates in Kazakhstan, Zarif said an important thing that helps the removal of sanctions is making them "inefficient".
The people offered resistance in the face of sanctions and "broke them", he added.